Coalition sets new standards for antibiotic stewardship for animals

A group of food companies, livestock producers, trade associations and retailers has released what they call a comprehensive framework to strengthen oversight of the use of antibiotics in food animals. The goal is to more carefully manage the use of medically important antibiotics to slow down the emergence of resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of the drugs. The new framework defines effective stewardship, outlines its core components and describes the essential characteristics of effective stewardship programs, including specific performance measures, the group said in a news release.